Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Supplementary Report

The Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, has published the Supplementary Report of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Programme, following a Government decision. The Inquiry was led by Dr Gabriel Scally.

Following the publication on 12 September last of the Final Report of the Scoping Inquiry, Dr Scally committed to providing this supplementary report into certain further aspects of the laboratories, such as procurement, quality and accreditation arrangements, and governance structures.

The report identifies that the number of laboratories involved in CervicalCheck work was greater than originally thought. Crucially, however, it finds that, on the basis of the information available to the Inquiry, the use of additional laboratories did not result in a reduction of the quality of the screening provided to Irish women and there is no evidence to suggest deficiencies in screening quality in any laboratory. The Supplementary Report thus provides further welcome reassurance to Irish women about cervical screening quality.

Dr Scally acknowledges in the report that substantial and important progress has been made to date in implementing the recommendations of his First and Final Reports. This progress is outlined in the Q1 Progress Report on Implementation of the Recommendations of the Scoping Inquiry, which is available on the website of the Department of Health.